Tomorrow’s Schools Today ::TSTNZ::

Teachers’ resources for curriculum, EOTC and school equipment suppliers plus weekly news in education and magazine for NZ Teachers, Principals, School Managers, BOTs, PTAs and School Fundraising Committees

Weekly News 21st May 2012

Budget 2012: Extra $511.9 million for education

Budget 2012 will deliver funding that is firmly focused on raising student achievement, says Education Minister Hekia Parata. Read more...

More National News

NZEI warns parents that increasing class sizes will put their children at risk

The education sector union, NZEI Te Riu Roa says the government's decision to increase class sizes will have a severe impact on the quality of education in primary schools. Read more...

OECD Report highly critical of performance pay for teachers

The education sector union, NZEI Te Riu Roa says a recently released OECD report on performance pay for teachers has raised serious concerns about how performance-based pay impacts on the quality of teaching. Read more...

Diary of a Kiwi Soldier Wins Children's Book of the Year

The true story of a World War l Kiwi soldier has won the country's highest honour in children's writing at the 2012 New Zealand Post Children's Book Awards. Read more...

Forest and Bird appeals climate change ruling

Forest & Bird has announced it will appeal the Environment Court's recent decision that stops the effects on climate change from being considered under the Resource Management Act (RMA). Read more...

EEZ Bill bad news for both industry and the environment

The Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf Bill, reported back from select committee last week with only slight change, fails to protect New Zealand's marine environment and ignores our international legal obligations, Forest & Bird has said. Read more...

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Regional News

Forum on the government's Charter Schools proposal

Senior education academics, representatives of the education sector and the Chair of the NZ Model of Charter Schools Working Group, Catherine Isaac will be speaking at a forum on charter schools in Auckland today (Monday 21st May). Read more...

'Broadcast your school memories' at the North Otago Museum

To celebrate International Museums Day and their Teschemakers exhibition, the North Otago Museum is asking people to come into the museum and record their memories of school. Read more...

NASA Astronaut to attend science festival

NASA astronaut Stephanie D. Wilson, a veteran of three space flights who has logged more than 42 days in space, will be making her next touchdown at this year's eighth New Zealand International Science Festival. Read more...

Top Art exhibition arrives in Rotorua

A touring art exhibition featuring New Zealand's top secondary school Visual Art portfolios will be on display at Rotorua Museum of Art and History this week. Read more...

Changes to some bus routes in the eastern Christchurch Central City

Several bus services will have minor changes to their routes from today (Monday 21 May) to make use of the reopened Madras Street. Read more...

Regular Features

Annie's War on Stains for Teachers

The Magic of white vinegar and sunlight. Read more...

Wine Review

Villa Maria Private Bin Hawkes Bay 2011 Arneis. Read more...

Annie's Quick and Easy Seasonal Recipe Corner

Very Quick Apple Crumble. Read more...

Timaru to be one of the first towns to benefit from UFB

More than 11,000 Timaru premises will benefit from ultra-fast broadband, including 15 schools, Communications and Information Technology Minister Amy Adams has announced. Read more...

Christchurch Airport Marathon features elite wheelchair athletes

Christchurch City Council has announced that two elite wheelchair athletes will compete in the new Christchurch Airport Marathon course on Sunday 3 June 2012. Read more...

Tree removal begins at South New Brighton this month

Work will begin early next week to remove earthquake-damaged trees from Bridge Reserve in South New Brighton. Read more...

The Oriental Cafe at Swanlake Lower Cashmere - Christchurch's Secret Garden Oasis

After all we've been through in the last 18 months and at one time having the choice of all the excellent Restaurants and Cafes around Christchurch's CBD my family and I were desperate for time out and a meal somewhere within Christchurch that had something more than tables and chairs. Read more...

Red zone offers get three month extension

Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee has announced a three-month extension to the time required for insured residential red-zoned property owners to choose a settlement option. Read more...

Church should release all documents

Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee says the Anglican Church should release all advice and documentation it has been working from, given the huge public interest in the issue of the cathedral's partial deconstruction. Read more...


>>	Annabelle White Tomorrow's Schools Today this month welcomes popular television and radio cooking personality Annabelle White to our team or expert writers.
>>	Annabelle White’s delicious moments: Creative lunch boxes – think outside the square! School lunches can be problematic – it’s like cleaning out the fridge – you might not like the process, but you need to do it to ensure sensible budgeting and good eating.
>>	Recipe by Annabelle White: Anyone who wants great energy and wants to avoid expensive energy bars will love these.
>>	No 2 Super Food SLEEP
>>	Ask Sarah - Natural Health Advice How do I encourage more of my staff to set a good example by eating healthy lunches and snacks at least during school hours?
>>	Sarah's Health Giving Recipes for everyone Easter Sweeties - Satisfy those Eastertime sugar cravings with guiltfree Super Chocolate Yum Balls.
>>	Ann's Quick & Easy Healthy Living Tips STOP! Take a breath & save time.
>>	More Healthy Recipes: Chef Nom's Stir-Fried Pumpkin.

Latest Book Reviews

Pick of the month

Poor Economics by Abhijit V Banerjee and Esther Duflo

For more than fifteen years Abhijit V. Banerjee and Esther Duflo have worked with the poor in dozens of countries spanning five continents, trying to understand the specific problems that come with poverty and to find proven solutions. Read more...

School Library Books:
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-	A Mammoth In The Fridge by Michael Escoffier with illustrations by Matthieu Maudet
-	Woolly Wally by Dawn McMillan with illustrations by Ross Kinnaird

Fiction Reading For Adults:
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-	Pounamu Pounamu by Witi Ihimaera

Non Fiction and Reference Books:
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-	Healing Our History: The Challenge of the Treaty of Waitangi by Robert Consedine and Joanna Consedine
-	Poor Economics by Abhijit V Banerjee and Esther Duflo
-	Tangata O Le Moana: New Zealand and the People of The Pacific edited by Sean Mallon, Kolokesa Mahina-Tuai and Damon Salesa
-	Beethoven's Only Beloved: Josephine by John Klapproth
-	Treats From Little And Friday by Kim Evans
-	April Loses It by April Ieremia

2012 term dates - For primary and intermediate schools
Term	Start date	End date
2	Monday 23 April	Friday 29 June (96 half-days)
3	Monday 16 July	Friday 28 September (110 half-days)
4	Monday 15 October	No later than Thursday 20 December (96 half-days)*

* Or to a day in December which ensures that the school has been open for instruction for 388 half-days in 2012.

2012 term dates - For secondary and composite schools
Term	Start date	End date
2	Monday 23 April	Friday 29 June (96 half-days)
3	Monday 16 July	Friday 28 September (110 half-days)
4	Monday 15 October	Friday 14 December (88 half-days)*

* Or to a day in December which ensures that the school has been open for instruction for 380 half-days in 2012.

2012 Holidays

Schools must be closed in 2012 on Saturdays and Sundays, and on the following days:

New Years Day - 1 January
Day after New Years Day - 2 January
Waitangi Day - 6 February (Monday)
Good Friday - 6 April
Easter Monday - 9 April
Day after Easter Monday - 10 April (Tuesday)
Anzac Day - 25 April
Queen's Birthday - 4 June (Monday)
Labour Day - 22 October (Monday)
Christmas Day - 25 December
Boxing Day - 26 December

And the relevant Anniversary Day holiday as listed below:

Anniversary Day holidays 2012

Province	Includes	Actual day	Date observed in 2012
Southland	Invercargill, Bluff, Milford Sound, Fiordland	17 January	Monday 16 January
Wellington	Wellington, Manawatu, Whanganui	22January	Monday 23 January
Auckland	Waikato, King Country, Coromandel, Bay of Plenty, Gisborne/East Coast	29 January	Monday 30 January
Northland	Whangarei	29 January	Monday 30 January
Nelson	Nelson, Tasman, Buller and parts of North Canterbury	1 February	Monday 30 January
Otago	Dunedin, Queenstown	23 March	Monday 26 March
Taranaki (New Plymouth)	New Plymouth	31 March	Monday 12 March
South Canterbury		25 September	Monday 24 September
Hawkes' Bay	Napier, Hastings	1 November	Friday 19 October
Marlborough	Blenheim, Picton	1 November	Monday 29 October
Canterbury	Christchurch, Ashburton	16 November	Friday 16 November
Chatham Islands		30 November	Monday 3 December
Westland	Westport, Greymouth	1 December	Monday 3 December